The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Satellite television has become increasingly popular due to the wide variety of content and the quality of content available. A satellite television system typically includes a set top box that is used to receive the satellite signals and decode the satellite signals for use on a television. The set top box typically has a memory associated therewith. The memory may include a digital video recorder or the like as well as storage for the operating code of the set top box. Because of the numerous components associated with the set top box, the set top box for each individual television is relatively expensive.
Satellite television systems typically broadcast content to a number of users simultaneously in a system. Satellite television systems also offer subscription or pay-per-view access to broadcast content. Access is provided using signals broadcast over the satellite. Once access is provided, the user can access the particular content.
Electronic devices are increasingly accessing the Internet. In the newest flat panel televisions, Internet connections are provided to enhance the customer experience. For example, various Internet sources such as movie sources and data sources such as weather data and stock data may all be obtained directly from the Internet-connected device.
Because each electronic device receives the signals and also processes the signals, the customer experiences at each of the electronic devices may be slightly different. Consistency and the quality that the customer perceives at each device are important for providing a consistent customer experience.
The development of a client and server-based content distribution system can be complicated. Because of the many commands and data that are exchanged between a server and one or more clients, it is desirable to verify the operation of the system. By verifying the operation of the system, a reliable customer experience may be developed.